Everyone in America has heard about BOTOX®. You’ve seen commercials, posters, pamphlets, and most likely know more than a few people who’ve utilized the anti-aging benefits of BOTOX® Cosmetic. This neuromodulator injectable is the number one minimally invasive cosmetic procedure in the country, and its uses cover a wide variety of face and body areas as well as medical conditions and aesthetic concerns.
What is BOTOX®?
BOTOX® contains botulinum toxin type A and is derived from Clostridium Botulinum. Clostridium is found in nature, including soil, lakes, mammals, and fish and is a poisonous, deadly protein in high doses. That’s because botulinum toxin interrupts the signals from your nervous system, inhibiting muscle movement.
In concentrated doses such as those in BOTOX® Cosmetic, Dysport®, and Xeomin®, this toxic protein can alleviate painful health issues and restore a youthful complexion by temporarily immobilizing the muscles responsible for the medical condition or lines and wrinkles. In 2018, more than 7.4 million people in the U.S. chose BOTOX® and other injectables containing botulinum toxin type A.
The aesthetic benefits of BOTOX® were discovered accidentally in the late 1970s when researchers were studying the effect of BOTOX® on strabismus (crossed eyes) in primates. They found that the glabellar lines (called frown lines or 11s in humans) between the primates’ eyebrows were improved when BOTOX® was administered. Now, BOTOX® is widely used to treat glabellar lines along with many other FDA-approved indications.
BOTOX® Cosmetic is used to treat these aesthetic problems:
- Lines on the outer edges of the eyes that resemble a crow’s claw, nicknamed “Crow’s Feet.”
- Vertical lines between the brows called glabellar lines, dubbed “Frown Lines,” or “11s.”
- Horizontal forehead lines
The FDA-approved medical uses of BOTOX® are more substantial and include:
- Excessive sweating (called hyperhidrosis) in the underarms
- Symptoms of an overactive bladder, including a sudden, strong need to urinate and frequent urination.
- Urinary incontinence that’s caused by a neurological disease
- Chronic migraine headaches
- Muscle spasticity (stiffness) in the upper and lower limbs such as the elbow, wrist, fingers, ankles, and toes
- Neck pain and atypical head position caused by cervical dystonia
- Crossed eyes (strabismus)
- Eyelid spasms (blepharospasms)
BOTOX® Cosmetic Treatments at Luxe Plastic Surgery
Our board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Malik Kutty, offers a variety of injectables at our Sugar Land office, including BOTOX® Cosmetic and other variations of botulinum toxin products. Your BOTOX® treatment begins with a consultation where we’ll discuss your goals for your appearance and whether injectables or a face procedure will best accomplish your desired results.
Dr. Kutty will inject BOTOX® Cosmetic into the muscles surrounding the wrinkled area using a tiny needle. The neurotoxin then weakens the muscles, preventing repetitive movements that lead to the formation of wrinkles such as squinting and smiling. The injectable smoothens moderate to severe lines, and the entire treatment typically takes five minutes per area. There’s no downtime required for BOTOX® Cosmetic so you can return to work and regular activities right away, though there could be mild swelling and redness for one to two days.
You will start to notice your BOTOX® Cosmetic results within the first week after your treatment, which typically lasts three to five months, but some patients see benefits for up to eight months. Touch up procedures are required to maintain aesthetic results as well as to continue treating a medical condition—Most patients have additional BOTOX® treatments every 3-6 months.
Contact Luxe Plastic Surgery About BOTOX®
If you struggle with any of the issues described above, contact Dr. Kutty at Luxe Plastic Surgery in Sugar Land today at (281) 313-0551 to see if BOTOX® is right for you. We serve patients in the surrounding areas of Houston, Texas, including Katy.